


Blinding Lights

by Menelya (mcrevenge)



Category: Actor RPF, British Actor RPF, The Hobbit RPF
Genre: Cheating, Getting Back Together, M/M, Richlee Will Never Die
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-24
Updated: 2020-01-24
Packaged: 2021-02-27 05:55:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,839
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22392148
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mcrevenge/pseuds/Menelya
Summary: Lee had known he would run into Richard at Magic Con, and that was fine. He just hadn't suspected the outcome.
Relationships: Richard Armitage/Lee Pace
Comments: 8
Kudos: 42





	Blinding Lights

**Author's Note:**

> A huge shout out and thank you to my very good friends Kerstin and Brit for proofreading and support, ILU. ♥ 
> 
> Hope this ship isn't completely dead. :')

In all honestly, it was a good kind of weird seeing Richard again after four years. Lee met him somewhere in the back where con-goers were not allowed, a few good minutes before Richard's panel was about to start. Like Lee (although too modest to admit it), Richard had a big enough name in the Tolkien world to run a panel by himself.

Richard had arrived at the hotel only one and a half an hour earlier; just enough time to take a shower and change into fresh clothes. He had somehow managed to make room for Magic Con in a very busy schedule (at least that was what Lee had been told). He had not seen Lee yet, and was engaged in a conversation with Mark Ferguson, who was hosting all the panels.

They had not kept in touch since their break up, that had been too painful for both of them. But they had not separated on bad terms, and that made Lee feel confident it was okay to see him again. It would probably be a little awkward at first, but they'd ease into it. He could learn to know him again, if only for one day.

He made his way over, as Mark walked away.

"Hey," Lee said, as nonchalantly as he could manage in the presence of a long lost lover. Richard met his eyes, reaching out to grab Lee's hand in a greeting, because what else were they supposed to do? Hug? Lee shook his hand firmly, and as Richard squeezed his hand, Lee could only think of how weird it was to shake his hand like it had never once explored every inch of his naked body. Like Richard was only an old colleague or new acquaintance.

"Hi," Richard said, "it's been a while, it's nice to see you again." And yes, it really was. It was good to see Richard again. He looked handsome in his blue shirt, semi-tight jeans and white sneakers. He seemed happy, healthy, and comfortable in his own skin in a way Lee could not remember ever having seen him. He probably has someone new, Lee thought. Someone is making him this happy, this comfortable. At one time, that had been him. But their love had been too intense for them to handle. Often, both sex and fights ended up with one or both bruised, wrestling on the floor for either pleasure or control. Lee idly wondered if he had that with this new guy. He doubted it, he looked too happy. It was easy love. But maybe that was what Richard needed. It had been what Lee needed.

"It's nice to see you too," Lee answered, suddenly realizing he was still holding onto Richard's hand. He unexpectedly found himself not wanting to let it go either, but the realization that they were still holding onto each other dawned on Richard too, the evidence of that written all over him as a blush crept up his face, all the way to his ears. They quickly let go of each others hand.

"Well," Richard said awkwardly, shoving both of his hands in his pockets, "I need to get going, I'm about to go on soon."

"See you around," Lee said, "and good luck," to which Richard just nodded (with a smile) and trudged off. Lee was already looking forward to see him again, and it scared him a little.

*  
  
Later that day, after the ending ceremony, people had changed out of their cosplays, switched their Cokes for beers, and started crowding up the bar. He saw Richard mingling with the fans, then spending some time chatting away with the crew and other actors present, enjoying several glasses of wine. More than once he had caught Richard glancing in his direction, but made no attempt at coming over, for which Lee was a little grateful. For some reason, he felt like he needed at least one more drink in his system before heading over to talk to him.

Even after four years, he couldn't ignore that Richard still made his heart jump. It felt a little like a betrayal, but Lee had been honest about his feelings towards Richard with Matt. Maybe he hadn't said that Richard had been his one true love, but that didn't really matter. After Richard, when Matt came along, he had been exactly what Lee needed. Not complicated, easy to like, easy to love. He did not make his heart race, but he made life comfortable.

Lee was halfway through his third or fourth drink, and a little into a buzz when he saw Richard sit down by himself, a little hidden away from sight. Looking around, their eyes locked for a split second, and Lee took it as his cue to head over. Taking a breath, Lee ran a hand over his denim shirt, trying to straighten out the creases.

Richard was face down in his phone when Lee arrived, and didn't notice him at first. Lee sat down across from him, and Richard only looked up when Lee's long leg bumped into his. There was a surprised look on his face. "Hello," he said, pocketing his phone.

"Hey," Lee said, "I hope you don't mind."

"No," Richard answered, "I'm just surprised, is all."

"How are you?" Lee asked.

"Good," said Richard, "a little tired, but good." Richard ran a finger around the edge of his glass, then his mouth opened as if to say something, before he shut it again. He looked deep in thought for a little moment, then he said, "I sort of came out, a few months ago."

"Really?" Lee hoped it was dark enough for Richard not to see the hurt written all over his face. He was happy for him too, he was, but it was something that had been the origin of so many of their fights, and had been one of the things that had led to their break up. They had planned to get married, they had wanted to grow old together. When fights got more common than cuddles and sex, Lee just couldn't do it anymore. Richard was tired of it too. So they broke up, and then Lee met Matt.

"It felt right. After my mum died, I got more carefree, and worried less about what others might think," Richard explained, eyes not leaving Lee's. "I guess I just wanted to say I'm sorry for the hurt it caused you."

"I appreciate it." Lee almost reached over to squeeze his hand, but refrained. Too many people around to be affectionate with an ex. It was kind of good to know that it was his mother's passing that had done this, not this new man in Richard's life (for whom Lee felt a tinge of jealousy). It still stung, because if this had happened four years earlier, it might still be them. And while content, and happy in his relationship, it was not like the one he'd had with Richard.

"What have you been up to lately?" Richard asked, and they easily fell into a pleasant conversation. Lee told Richard about his current and upcoming projects, how things were with his family, and Richard told him about the play he was doing, how life was back in London. Matt and Jim weren't mentioned once, both shoved into the back of their respective men's minds. Lee didn't know how much time passed as they sat there catching up, and happily reminisced on the past while getting to know each other again. Both laughed heartily when Richard waved his hand a little too close to his glass of wine and knocked it over, spilling red wine all over his pants.

"Had a little too much?" Lee asked.

"Pretty sure you've had more than me," Richard said, wiping his pants. "You got that glazed look you get when you're drunk." Richard smiled fondly at him.

"I guess I had a few drinks," Lee admitted with a lopsided smile. "Maybe it's time to turn in, I got a long day ahead of me tomorrow, and there have been several late nights already, Mark sure knows how to party."

"So I've heard," Richard laughed. "I got to catch an early flight myself, so I should probably get in bed too." They both stood up, the conversation continued easily on their way to the elevator. Neither minding the glances from curious fans. The rumors had already started the moment Lee sat down with Richard anyway.

"Which floor?" Richard asked when they were in the elevator.

"Sixth," Lee said, noting that Richard did not push any other button. They were on the same floor.

"When are you leaving tomorrow?" he asked Lee, leaning casually against the walls of the elevator.

"My flight is at noon," Lee said, walking out as the doors split open.

"Well, if I don't see you tomorrow, it was good seeing you," Richard said.

"It was really good seeing you too, Richard. And let me just say that although you've always been confident, you got a new kind of confidence in you now, and it suits you," Lee said. "Take care of yourself." Maybe it was because he was slightly drunk, but he reached out and squeezed Richard's hand gently. Instead of pulling his hand away, Richard squeezed his hand back. In fact, he did not let go.

Lee didn't understand, because as far as he could tell, Richard had not let on earlier that it was on his mind. From where he was standing, they had had a nice, pleasant evening, talking and walking down memory lane, as friends. And he would love for them to be friends, maybe they could keep in touch from now on. But if Richard wanted more, Lee knew he'd give it to him in a heartbeat. Hell, Lee had sported a semi a couple of times already, especially when they remembered that particularly rainy day back in New Zealand filming The Hobbit, and Richard had only talked (and laughed) about how the puddle Lee had stepped into was a lot deeper than it looked. Not how Richard had helped him out of his clothes (thankfully out of costume) after they got into Lee's trailer, or how Richard had fucked him bent over his make up chair.

"Richard?" Lee said, puzzled. His heart started racing when Richard took a step closer, and he stood close enough for Lee to feel his warm breath on his lips. The look on Richard's face told him exactly where this was going, if Lee did not take one step back. Lee was sober enough to know exactly what he was doing, but drunk enough not to care, or even bother to consider the consequences; he wanted it. He wanted Richard.

They met halfway, falling easily into a familiar rhythm of lips moving against one another, hands touching and pulling at all the right places. Slow and easy, savoring every taste, smell, feel. If there had ever been a voice in Lee's head that had told him no, it was completely gone now. All he could focus on, was Richard's lips on his, the feel of Richard's lower back against his fingertips, all while trying to lead him towards his hotel room without tripping over his own feet.

Before Lee could even grab the key to his room, he felt the pressure of Richard's body pressing him up against the door, and lost his breath for a second. Richard felt rock solid against his thigh, and if Lee wasn't ready already, he was then. "Key," Lee muttered, and Richard pulled back. The seconds it took Lee to pull out his key card, and open the door, seemed to cool Richard's head a little.

"Are you sure?" Richard asked, "you're drunk. Maybe this isn't such a good idea."

"I'm not that drunk, I know what I'm getting myself into," Lee replied, hooking his fingers under the waistband of Richard's pants, hauling him in. "I also know I want it. So, either you're in, or you're out." Lee breathed hotly against Richard's lips, nudging the tip of his nose against Richard's.

Richard kissed him again, then. Hot and leisurely, hands busy unbuttoning Lee's denim shirt while Lee worked on his. Lee had barely gotten a foot behind the threshold before his shirt fell to the floor, and they might just have fucked there if it hadn't been for the pling from the elevator announcing someone's arrival.

God, Lee had missed this. The raw lust that made him want to touch and smell and taste every inch of Richard's body, the intense passion that made him want to ride Richard into bliss right there in the fucking doorway. He loved this man, he had always loved him. Maybe he would never stop. At least, he hadn't stopped in the four years they'd been apart.

Richard kicked the door close with a foot, and they were hooked by the lips all the way to the bed, leaving a trail of clothes on the way there. The remainder of their clothes fell quickly to the floor in front of the bed, and soon enough Lee found himself in a familiar position, with Richard on top of him, finding their rhythm effortlessly.

The sex was rough, and raw, years of buried lust, love and longing finally emerging to the surface. The way Richard was looking at him, however, created a romantic and passionate atmosphere, and it nearly drove Lee mad with desire.

*

Neither said anything for a while after, just laid there and looked at each other. Lee had pretty much sobered up, but now he was another kind of drunk. Whatever happened after this, Lee thought the night was worth it, at least at that very moment it was. He'd worry in the morning.

Lee didn't really know what to say. He didn't want to ruin the moment by discussing what this was, would it happen again, should it happen again? That could also wait until the morning.

"Did you plan this?" Lee settled on.

"No, I did not. It just happened," he answered. He looked tired. Lee was pretty sure he looked tired himself, surely he felt tired. Three full days at a con had taken its toll. Richard propped himself up on one elbow. "You look tired, we should sleep."

"Mm," Lee answered. They had never really been the spooning kind of couple, but now all Lee wanted was to scoop close, put his head on Richard's chest and fall asleep to his heartbeat. Richard bent down to kiss him, and as if reading his mind, used his free hand to pull Lee close. Lee obediently obeyed, and when the kiss ended, he wrapped an arm around him, and laid his head on Richard's chest, melting into him.

Richard's arm came to rest over his shoulders, a kiss landed on the top of his head, and then Lee was fast asleep.

*

He wasn't home at his farm in upstate New York, the sun wasn't sneaking in through the slips of the curtains, and he didn't wake up to bird song. Instead, Lee woke up in his hotel room that grey Monday morning in Bonn, the bed was empty, and he heard the sound of a running shower.

Lee stretched out his hand to where Richard had slept, the sheets were still warm; he'd just gotten up. The pillow had Richard's scent on it, and Lee buried his face in it. Clothes were still scattered on the floor, and the vivid memory of how they got there brought a tired smile to Lee's face.

He sat up, slid his feet off the bed, and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. Apparently Richard had not panicked, he had not left in the middle of the night or the early morning, he was still there. Currently in the shower, which Lee realized he might need himself. Now that he had sobered up, he felt a pang of guilt as he made his way to the bathroom in his birthday suit with two things in mind; get laid, and get clean.

Did he feel bad for cheating? Of course he did, he wasn't the cheating kind. Not really, but there was something about the bond he had with Richard that just topped whatever he had with Matt. Although cheesy, the word soulmate often popped into his head whenever he thought of Richard. It was too early to say what this encounter would lead to, but he had a nine hour flight to think it over.

Maybe it would still be Matt and him, maybe he would go back to Richard, or even end up by himself again. Time would tell, and whatever happened, Lee knew one thing; he felt guilty, but he did not regret it. Not one bit.

Especially not when he entered the bathroom and Richard stood in the shower, pouring the shitty hotel soap into the palm of his hand. "Come on," Richard said. "I'll wash your back."


End file.
